Beach, officials honor wounded police officer

David Tiller, a St. Augustine Beach city police officer wounded in a 2012 drug sting, was awarded the State and Local Law Enforcement Congressional Badge of Bravery, signed by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, at Beach City Hall on Monday evening.

Representatives of nearly every law enforcement agency in the county, as well as local political figures, attended.

Tiller told them, “We face danger every day. (But) we do not worry about the awards we may get. This was a long, stressful and humbling experience. I want to thank my wife for her strength, passion and continuous support.”

With him was his wife Nicole and their four little children.

According to Casey Black DeSantis, wife of U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis, who could not attend, Tiller and another undercover officer were working a reverse sting, in which they posed as buyers seeking guns and cocaine in a remote area of Putnam County.

When they approached the possible seller, Manuel Espinoza, they saw Espinoza’s brother walking behind him with what looked like a long gun stashed in his trouser leg. Espinoza pulled out the rifle, slammed a clip into it and pulled back the charging handle.

Tiller reacted immediately, shooting and killing Espinoza, but suffering a leg wound in the process.

The other Espinoza was arrested and is now serving two life terms in prison.

According to State Attorney R.J. Larizza, “The plan was for (the two proposed buyers) to steal the money at gunpoint. They didn’t even have the gun or drugs with them.”

At the ceremony were all five St. Augustine Beach city commissioners, county commissioners Ron Sanchez and Cyndi Stevenson, Sheriff David Shoar, two FDLE agents, St. Augustine Mayor Joe Boles, Beach Police Chief Robert Hardwick, aides to Florida senators Nelson and Rubio and Rep. DeSantis and several dozen police officers and deputies from St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach and the St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office.

Beach Mayor S. Gary Snodgrass said, “Every day, federal, state and local law enforcement officers engage in exceptional acts of bravery while in the line of duty. To honor these acts, Congress passed the Congressional Badge of Bravery Act in 2008, to be awarded annually by the U.S. attorney general and are presented by the recipient’s congressional representatives.”

Tiller, a U.S. Army veteran of the Afghanistan War — serving in a reconnaissance unit — is no longer a Beach officer. He became a St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office deputy in January.

He said, “It’s humbling. I’m glad it’s over so I can focus on the future.”